West Tek research facility
The Search for the Glow |sections =Subterranean: * Level 1 * Level 2 * Level 3 (Weapons Research) * Level 4 (Biology-Physics Research Labs) * Level 5 (Secure Testing Labs) * Level 6 (Barracks and Operations Center) |map marker ='The Glow' |map name =GLOWENT.MAP (entrance) GLOW1.MAP (levels 1, 2 and 3) GLOW2.MAP (levels 4, 5 and 6) |terminal =Special Forces Operations terminal GLOW power terminal ZAX 1.2 }} "Radiation Storm" The West Tek research facility, colloquially known as The Glow or Great Glow after the Great War, was founded in 2002 as the primary research installation for West Tek. Location The Glow can be found eight squares east and twenty-four squares south of Vault 13. Background Initially divided into two sections, "Advanced Weapons" and "Biomedical Sciences Research,"''West Tek records mentions ''Research Head of Laser Development and Research Head of FEV. [1] by 2069 it was the single biggest private contractor of the American government, with its biggest project being the T-51b power armor for use by infantry soldiers on the frontlines. Its second-largest was the Pan-Immunity Virion Project (PVP), later known as the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV). In 2076, the research facility was secured by a military contingent for fear of international espionage, shortly afterwards, the PVP research was moved to the Mariposa Military BaseFEV experiment disk - Log Date January 7, 2077. [1] where experimentation on human subjects would continue. Several other projects were also being pursued, including energy weapons and upgrading existing armor. The Glow The West Tek research facility was destroyed in the nuclear holocaust of 2077. During the Great War the surface of the installation took a direct hit from a nuclear warhead which left a gaping hole exposing the subterranean installation, shattering the FEV containment tanks and releasing the irradiated virus into the atmosphere. Mutated by radiation, the airborne FEV strain did not have the same mutagenic abilities as its counterpart at Mariposa, but still complicated things for the Master later on. Due to its high radiation, the facility came to be known as the Glow, surrounded by legends among the people of New California. In 2077, a faction within the soon to be Brotherhood of Steel led by Sergeant Dennis Allen gained strength, and they urged Captain Maxson to let them explore the ruins of the West Tek Research Facility, now called the Glow, for artifacts. Capt. Maxson refused, so Allen and his group split away from the Exodus, taking some technology and weapons with them. Other members of the team included Soto, Jensen and Camarillo. Unfortunately for them, they were killed by security robots and radiation.Ancient Brotherhood disk. [1] The Brotherhood of Steel used to send unwanted applicants to the Glow on a "fool's quest," referring to it by the moniker the "Ancient Order," just to laugh about it later when they ended up dead because of the high amount of radiation in the area. They were quite surprised when one known as the Vault Dweller actually made it back, bringing with them a holodisk that recorded the fate of Allen's expedition, and earning them a place in the Brotherhood. The Glow, true to its name, is one of the most highly irradiated locations in the ''Fallout'' universe. A few moments' exposure is enough to give a lethal dose of rads. Use of Rad-X to boost Radiation Resistance to 100% is widely considered absolutely necessary to survive a trip to the Glow. Dayglow Some time after 2162, some ghoul survivors from Necropolis settled northwest of the Glow, and founded the town of Dayglow, whose inhabitants formed partnerships with scavenging companies from New Adytum and the Hub and have built quite a profitable corporation from their salvage efforts. Layout Exterior Little remains on the surface of the Glow, just a gaping crater where once the heart of the American research effort laid. Three charred corpses lie around the crater. The location is extremely irradiated; radiation levels shoot up when one is able to see the giant crater, and it only gets worse afterwards. A rope can be attached to the steel beam in order to enter the facility. Level 1 This was where the offices and other administrative sections of the facility were, before the destruction of the building. The atomic bombing obliterated much of the level and scorched what survived. The body of Sergeant Dennis Allen lays in the conference room, encased in a defunct suit of T-51b power armor. On his person was a holodisk which the Vault Dweller used to become an initiate of the Brotherhood of Steel. Level 2 The second level of the facility has been affected by the nuclear blast also, yet more survived, such as the security bots of the facility. The exact purpose is unknown (ZAX does not provide a description), but it was likely a section devoted to blueprints and design, as a lot of computers and tables are present. On a burned corpse in the northeast corner, a red pass key can be found, granting access to other levels. Level 3 This level connects two different lifts providing transportation between the levels of the facility. Apart from that, it housed the facility's weapons research and development laboratories, indicated by the twin robot security checkpoints, secure labs and a stash of lockers with weapons and ammunition, likely held for research purposes. Level 4 (Biology-Physics Research Labs) Every base needs a brain, and this level houses the mind of The Glow: ZAX. This supercomputer oversaw all research and development that took place in the base, in addition to performing the routine checks etc. Ever since the nuclear holocaust, he idled, biding his time, frustrated at his inability to perform even the most basic of routines. In addition, the most advanced research labs in the country were located here, such as physics and biology laboratories, allowing for breakthroughs to happen in science. The body of Charles Ringhold lies in one of the laser labs, carrying a blue pass key. Level 5 (Secure Testing Labs) The core of the facility, by far the most secure and least accessible, are the testing labs. Sealed, protected by three robot checkpoints, these laboratories witnessed the development of FEV and advanced weaponry, including the Winchester P94 plasma rifle. Here, surviving records of the FEV development can also be gleaned. Level 6 (Barracks and Operations Center) The deepest level housed the living quarters of the essential research personnel, along with the primary power generator for the base and the operations center. After the Great War, the power generator's fuses got stuck in the locked position, powering down the entire base. The body of one of Dennis Allen's comrades lies, horribly burned, in one of the rooms. Inhabitants * Floating eye bots * Robobrains * ZAX 1.2 Related quests * Become an initiate * Turn on power for the Glow * Disarm Traps for the Facility Notes * When one first gets to the crater from the world map, they will receive the message "you receive a large dose of radiation" twice. With a radiation resistance stat of 12% this will give the player character 28 rads. Resting for a day with the same resistance stat will net over 16,000 rads. * The name of the facility is spelled West Tech a few times in-game, but West Tek is the more common usage of the name and is the name of the company itself. * Some doors need a Strength of 8 or higher to be opened. * A rope is needed to enter the crater. * Suze mentions the glow after being rescued from the lower levels of PMV Valdez.Fcsuze.msg * Major ** GLWALIEN.MSG - "This body might be some kind of genetic experiment." ** GLOWCAGE.MSG - "It appears as though this cage contained lab animals for testing. Somehow, the bars have been torn off." * Minor ** GLWBOX.MSG - "This looks to be the footlocker of some guards." ** GLOWDESK.MSG - a lock desk of papers ** GLOWTABL.MSG - a table in a mess Appearances The West Tek research facility appeared only in Fallout. It is also mentioned in Fallout 3 in database entries found on the Maxson Archive terminal in the Citadel, in the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage, and in The Armageddon Rag, Vol. 3. Behind the scenes * Its name in the original Scott Campbell design documentation was FSEF. * The pass keys are a clear reference to id Software's Doom, even down to the corresponding colors of the pass keys shown above their doors. Gallery FO1 Dennis Allen.png|Yellow pass key and Ancient Brotherhood disk, level 1 Fo1_red_pass_key_The_Glow.png|Red pass key, level 2 Charles Ringhold.png|Blue pass key, level 4 FEV disk locker.png|FEV experiment disk, level 5 Alpha experiment disk wall safe.png|Alpha experiment disk, level 5 Delta experiment disk wall safe.png|Delta experiment disk, level 5 See also * Alpha experiment disk * Delta experiment disk * FEV experiment disk * West Tek records References Category:The Glow Category:Military and research facilities de:West Tek Forschungseinrichtung es:Instalaciones de investigación West Tek fi:The Glow it:The Glow pl:West Tek pt:The Glow ru:Свечение uk:Світіння zh:闪耀之地